Shaboozey’s idea of relaxation has social media users in need of more than a double shot of whiskey to calm their nerves.
The country music newcomer has people buzzing over viral footage of him photobombing a couple on their wedding day.
The lovebirds were moments away from saying “I do” on the bank of Brown’s Owens River Campground in Mammoth, California, on Aug. 8 when Shaboozey and a group of people floated by.
The hitmaker of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” threw his arms in the air, smiled, and stuck his tongue out as he passed by the couple. The river excursion was part of his vacation that also included camping in Sierra Nevada.
The pair’s wedding planner, K. Rose Events founder Callie Smith, coordinated their big day and photos with Shaboozey.
“Just as we were about to line up, a few of the family members started yelling, ‘The bride is down there,’ and we saw a trail of floats with three dozen people coming up the river toward the ceremony location,” she told People.
Smith dished that “As the planner, I decided to hold off on the ceremony to allow the crowd to float by. When the crowd got closer, they informed us Shaboozey was on the float heading our way.”
She asked Shaboozey if he would take pictures with the bride and groom, and he agreed — with one caveat: “‘Yes! But I’m not getting off the float!’” The newlyweds kissed, hugged, and smiled as the parade of people riding inner tubes crashed the wedding.
“This is so wholesome and awesome – love and smiles everywhere,” one person commented on People’s story. A fan raved, “Bro that video of you floating by that bride and groom was epic,” in the comments of a vacation recap post.
But as the story gained traction on social media, the reactions shifted from jovial to concern and, in some instances, disapproval. Eagle-eyed observers were vexed after noticing that Shaboozey was one of two Black river floaters surrounded by a parade of white people.
A resounding “So y’all saw that too right?!” was repeatedly echoed in the comments. Similarly, a second response read, “Only white friends ? Hmmm tf.”
It is unclear who, if any, of the others in the group have personal relationships with Shaboozey.
Someone else questioned if there was an overt MAGA presence.
“Yalll what these hats say?” an IG Threads user remarked.
They shared a grainy close-up of a man and woman who had red hats with white writing on them. The text was not legible, and the design did not match the caps worn by Donald Trump and his loyalists.
Nonetheless, the more users zoomed in and assessed the situation, the grimmer their reactions became, with several individuals referring to the Nolan Wells case.
The 18-year-old was found in the water along the shoreline of Horn Island after partying with a group of white friends on the Fourth of July.
The Mississippian reportedly stayed behind after his pals decided to leave. Wells’ body was located on July 6, face down in the water and fully clothed.
The manner of his death is unknown, and an investigation of his death is ongoing.
Attorney Ben Crump is representing the family as they seek answers, including insight into Snaps that were reportedly deleted from Wells’ phone, which his mother, Christine Wonsley, recovered from a friend’s home, who initially decided, knowing where the device was.
View on Threads
Those remarks include:
“Shaboozey! Ninja have you watched the news?!?!? You don’t have ANY Black friends?!?!?! In this America? In 2026??
“I saw one Black person other than Shaboozey, so maybe that is his backup? Hmm, I don’t know because, based on what just transpired with Nolan, this was definitely a choice.”
“I hope this isn’t yall being surprised he was the only one.His stage name is a white mispronounciation of his actual last name. His “friends” refused to call him by his name so he let the mispronounced name stick.”
Shaboozey did not reshare the viral wedding day surprise, nor has he publicly commented on the backlash.
